The Away Place

By Susanne Marie Knight

A New Fantasy Romance Novel

A HEALING HEARTS ROMANCE

THREE STRIKES AGAINST HER: Marta Jordan has hit rock bottom... and she's only twenty-one. Her parents are killed in a tragic accident, her new husband steals from her, and a serious health diagnosis threatens her life. Marta is in desperate need of an intervention. Enter her fairy godmother and fairy godfather: Sola and Quill--the East and North Winds. Providing an enchanted cabin so Marta can heal, they also offer her a do-over... and a chance to walk on the wild side. Will Marta throw all caution to the wind (pun intended!) and listen to her magical helpers?

SECOND TIME'S A CHARM: Joe Noble is every woman's Mr. Wrong. So much so that his wife not only divorced him, but their ten-year-old son, Nicky, too. Now only looking for a good time with no strings attached, Joe gets a wake-up call when the consequences of his irresponsible actions finally catch up to him. He has a choice: he can continue to drift or he can "man up" to become a good father, in addition to wooing and winning the woman of his heart, Marta.

BONUS: The fairytale, "The Princess' Soulmate" is also included!

PRAISE FOR THE AWAY PLACE

* 5 Stars! A romantic, sweet, and unforgettable fairytale! THE AWAY PLACE serves up two opposites, Marta and Joe, who are both recovering from the slings and arrows of life. Throw in the magic of a delightful godmother and an incredibly sexy godfather, and you have the ingredients for a delightful story that will please all romance readers! THE AWAY PLACE is a wonderful place to leave your everyday burdens at the door!--Twists on Romance Reviews

* 5 Stars! THE AWAY PLACE delivers! You'll find magic, romance, sexy encounters, second chances, precocious children, healing hearts, and an original classic fairytale: "The Princess' Soulmate." Young Marta Jordan has been hit so many times by tragedy, she's begging for a do-over. The Four Winds of Myth and Legend decide to grant her request... in the form of good-time bad boy, Joe Noble. But whiskey-drinking, love-'em-and-leave-'em Joe is nobody's hero. Or is he? Escape from your ordinary world with Ms. Knight's latest fantasy, THE AWAY PLACE!--Just Imagine Fanzine

• Language: English
• Publisher: Susanne Marie Knight
• Release date: Aug 25, 2020
• ISBN: 9781005700164

Susanne Marie Knight

Award-winning author and seven time EPPIE / EPIC eBook Award Finalist Susanne Marie Knight specializes in Romance Writing with a Twist! She is multi-published with books, short stories, and articles in such diverse genres as Regency, science fiction, mystery, paranormal, suspense, time-travel, fantasy, and contemporary romance. Originally from New York, Susanne lives in the Pacific Northwest, by way of Okinawa, Montana, Alabama, and Florida. Along with her husband and the spirit of her feisty Siamese cat, she enjoys the area's beautiful ponderosa pine trees and wide, open spaces--a perfect environment for writing. For more information about Susanne, visit her website at www.susanneknight.com.

Book preview

THE AWAY PLACE

A Fantasy Romance by Susanne Marie Knight at Smashwords.com

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

Copyright © 2020 by Susanne Marie Knight

Cover Art copyright © 2020 by S. M. Knight and its licensors. All rights reserved.

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com

Romance Writing with a Twist

http://romancewritingwithatwist.blogspot.com

http:/www.susanneknight.com

United States of America

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Dedication

For hearts that need to heal.

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Reviewer Praise For

Susanne Marie Knight and

THE AWAY PLACE

Dream Realm Award-Winner for Best Speculative Fiction Romance;

Preditor and Editor Award Winner for Best Science Fiction Novel;

Awe-Struck Award Winner for Best Novel;

Golden Wings Award Winner for Best Historical Romance;

Seven times finalist in the prestigious EPIC eBook Awards;

Amazon Best-selling author.

* Susanne Marie Knight is a talented, versatile author whose books run from light traditional Regency with a magical element, to time-travel, sci-fi romance, paranormal romantic suspense, mystery, and contemporary romance. Jane Bowers, Romance Reviews Today.

* Absolutely splendid! Mature, balanced, and imaginative; a balanced prose style. J. Manchester, New York critic.

* 5 Stars! A romantic, sweet, and unforgettable fairytale! THE AWAY PLACE serves up two opposites, Marta and Joe, who are both recovering from the slings and arrows of life. Throw in the magic of a delightful godmother and an incredibly sexy godfather, and you have the ingredients for a charming story that will please all romance readers! THE AWAY PLACE is a wonderful place to leave your everyday burdens at the door!--Twists on Romance Reviews

* 5 Stars! THE AWAY PLACE delivers! You’ll find magic, romance, sexy encounters, second chances, precocious children, healing hearts, and an original classic fairytale: The Princess’ Soulmate. Young Marta Jordan has been hit so many times by tragedy, she’s begging for a do-over. The Four Winds of Myth and Legend decide to grant her request... in the form of good-time bad boy, Joe Noble. But whiskey-drinking, love-‘em-and-leave-‘em Joe is nobody’s hero. Or is he? Escape from your ordinary world with Ms. Knight’s latest fantasy, THE AWAY PLACE!--Just Imagine Fanzine

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Prologue

October

Whenever life inundated her with sorrows, Marta Jordan... oops, no, newly married Marta Sloane, reverted back to the comforting ways of her childhood. Specifically, her girlish penchant for reading fairytales. Not a very adult thing to do, true, but if something as innocuous as reading childish myths and legends could give her relief, then, what was the harm? Truth be told, her favorite bedtime story as a child and even now was one her mother had written: The Princess’ Soulmate.

All fairytales contained lessons, and the lesson in this little yarn was that although the princess--in other words, Marta--at first suffered with challenges and unhappiness, everything turned out all right at the end. A very satisfying happily-ever-after.

Too bad real life didn’t always happen that way. She could wish, though, couldn’t she?

In the privacy of her bedroom, well, to be correct, her and her new hubby Cooper’s bedroom, Marta opened the familiar fairytale book. There, on the cover page, was her mother’s dedication.

To Marta,

May the blessed night winds help you find your soulmate.

Love, Mom and Dad

A tear burned the corner of Marta’s eye to then slowly trickle down her cheek. She didn’t know if Cooper really was her soulmate, but following her parents’ tragic accident on a slick city street, he became Marta’s Rock of Gibraltar. After the horrific phone call informing her about the crash, she’d reached out to Cooper. He’d been a trooper, driving out to her dorm apartment in Brooklyn to pick her up.

Next came the ride out to the hospital. Even though they’d traveled as fast as possible, by the time they’d arrived, it was too late. Her parents were already dead. Cooper had stood by her side as the doctor delivered the awful news.

In a whirlwind of activity, Cooper continued to step in, making the necessary arrangements and decisions, filling out required paperwork, and handling financial matters while she, sadly, had cocooned herself in her grief. Without Cooper she would’ve been all alone. Not even her brother Bill had been helpful. Then again, they’d never been close. Perhaps Bill was mourning in his own way.

All of that had happened a month ago. So much had changed in only one month. So much was different. She went from being a senior at a prestigious art college and the beloved younger child of two exceptional parents... to being an orphan and child bride of a man she barely knew.

Well, not really a child bride. She’d married at twenty-one. She was still only twenty-one.

Twirling a lock of her hair around her index finger--another childish mannerism--Marta sighed. Now, after one month of living like a zombie, she had to rejoin the world, for Cooper’s sake, anyway. Not only had he come to her rescue, he’d offered instant marriage, and she, without thinking things through, had jumped into this lifetime commitment.

A shiver zigzagged its way down her spine. Lifetime. Until the end of time. Forever, and ever, and ever. Marta extended her left hand and stared down at the plain gold band on her ring finger. They’d only been married two weeks.

She sighed again. I miss you, Mom and Dad.

It wasn’t fair to Cooper that his bride walked around in a mindless daze. Although, to be truthful, he seemed to enjoy taking charge.

Enough. Too much wallowing in the past. She’d allow herself this one last indulgence to savor the fairytale, and then she’d get on with her life and be a proper wife.

One of her favorite lines from the book always comforted her:

The night wind, ever a friend, wore a cloak of

midnight black dotted with twinkling diamond stars...

Turning the fine vellum page in her mother’s book, Marta lost herself in the fairytale story. *

* * * *

Marta closed the book. It was time for her to hug her soulmate--Solomon in the fairytale, Cooper in real life--and put this sorrow behind them. Then she and he would live joyfully as one, just as the story had foretold. Mom said that would happen for her, and so it would. Marta just had to give things a chance.

* To read The Princess’ Soulmate in its entirety, click here.

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Chapter One

December, Two Months Later

The Fairytale Is Over

The snow refused to let up. Down and down it came, an endless supply of white. Biting her lip, Marta gripped the steering wheel. She was not a fan of driving in icy weather. To be truthful, in her present emotional state, she was not a fan of anything at all.

Winters in Maine could be treacherous... and as for driving in snow and ice storms...

She swiped at her leaking eyes at the same time as her car’s wipers swiped accumulating snow from the windshield. The steady rhythm mesmerized her, soothed her, steadied her thoughts.

Swish, swipe, swish, swipe, swish, swipe.

Good. Now calmer, she released a cleansing breath. She’d left home in such a frantic rush, it was like she’d hit the panic button. Everything in her life seemed to have risen up into a crescendo of end-of-the-world proportions. Doom, gloom, and more doom. All she could think about was escaping, about getting far, far away.

The icy wind had urged her on. Go, the heavy breath of winter had weaved its words through her hair. Take the car and go.

Marta sighed. Yep, she was being fanciful.

But now that she was out of the house and its poisoned atmosphere, she realized there was no need to make any important decisions. She could postpone thinking about all aspects of this mess. Things would work out all right. They just had to. And once she got back home from this retreat, she’d see things differently, clearer.

Maybe it was all a misunderstanding.

Sure, Cooper had been more like a stranger than a husband since they moved to Bangor, Maine the end of last month. Right before Thanksgiving. He’d wanted the move; he’d even insisted on the move. And she, in order to keep the peace, had agreed even though everyone she knew--her friends, cousins, her brother Bill--lived in New York.

She’d never felt so isolated. Physically, emotionally, even mentally. Then she’d found out about Cooper transferring money from her inheritance into his own private account.

A hot tear made its way down her cheek. Could the money transfer be a misunderstanding? Did he have valid reason for taking her parents’ money?

Why had he refused to answer her questions? She’d trusted him... with everything. Did this mean her marriage was over? Should she... should she start the paperwork and obtain a divorce?

She shivered. But they’d been happy these past few months, hadn’t they?

As she thought about that statement, she wrinkled her forehead. Hadn’t they been happy?

Whoa! The SUV slipped and skidded on the snow and ice-packed country road, demanding she redirect her thoughts... fast. Weather conditions were worsening. Her heart pounding, she made the course correction and narrowly avoided sliding down the ravine.

Phew. That had been close. Too close. If this horrible weather kept up and the road conditions continued to deteriorate, there was a good... or rather a scary chance she wouldn’t make it to the resort cabin alive.

Marta swallowed down a gulp of fear. Morbid thought, but true.

Reducing her speed to a mere crawl, she stared out at the swirling drifts of snow still blanketing her view. Darn. It was just her bad luck to take a road trip in the middle of a blizzard.

Her gloomy frame of mind went further south. Yep, she’d had some major hits to the soul the latter part of this past year. Major foundation cracking hits, and adjusting to the move from New York to Maine was only one of them.

Another hit was her dropping out of art college just short of graduating. Why? To please Cooper. She’d even stopped painting even though she’d had some commercial success as an artist. That was a big deal, a huge deal, especially at her young age. She’d already had three one-man shows displaying her artwork at a fashionable gallery in upper Manhattan.

Unfortunately Cooper had labeled her work as childish doodles.

She sniffed. Things... and people she’d believed in her entire life had suddenly morphed into unreliable, unrecognizable shadowy figures. Like her brother Bill, or rather her absentee brother Bill.

Maybe that was life, or maybe just her life. But honestly, she needed to have this away time to lick her wounds in private and figure out what her next step would be.

She could hear the wind howling around her. Squinting as she peered through the icy snow-encrusted windshield, she prayed she was headed in the right direction. Then again with a ravine to the right of her, there really was only one direction to go--straight ahead.

Still, it had been a long time since she’d visited the lake resort cabin, lucky number seven--her happy place. Her Away Place. The place her parents had taken her and Bill for summer retreats. How long ago had it been? Ten years?

But truthfully, even then, she’d never been here in the middle of winter... on New Year’s Eve.

Was the cabin available? Was the resort even open?

She blinked back tears. Obviously she hadn’t thought out her flight into the night. At all. Just like she hadn’t thought out the ramifications of marrying Cooper, a man she’d just barely met.

All she knew for sure was that she was desperately, desperately unhappy.

Night after night she spent her time alone. Wasting her time, really. Who knew where Cooper spent his time? In a way she was reminded of her favorite fairytale--the princess and her infuriating prince--and the words:

The prince’s neglect was such that she could endure the abuse no longer. Please, she cried out to the night wind. Please save me from my loneliness.

That was exactly how she felt. Cooper had been growing increasingly distant since the move to Bangor, a move he initiated. Like two ships passing in the night. And not only that. He wasn’t attracted to her anymore. Called her mousy, boring, and plain vanilla pudding.

When had he started withdrawing funds from their joint bank account? As soon as they’d married?

She shivered. That was a sobering thought. So why should she stay in an unhappy marriage with a man she no longer trusted, especially now that...

Never mind. Focus on the road.

More tears dripped down her cheeks. Tears of self-pity. Not because of her... unexpected health situation, but because of her hopeless and loveless life.

Stop the pity party.

Right. She bit her lip to focus. Her method of dealing with problems was to get away. Escape. To go where she had some happy memories. Sometimes a happy memory could vanquish the awful present. That was why she was now driving on a treacherous country road, in the middle of a snowstorm toward a--no doubt--frozen lake. The cabins she’d used to stay in as a kid were probably closed for the winter, too. After all, it was December 31st, New Year’s Eve.

But she’d felt compelled, almost as if under a spell, to chuck it all, throw caution to the wind as it were, and take a break to get her head together.

So what had she done? She’d packed a bag and hopped in her SUV before she’d had a chance to think her actions through. Without checking the weather. Without calling to make reservations. How irresponsible could she get?

She smiled grimly. Yes, now she had plenty of time to regret her decision. The windshield wipers worked furiously to clear off the ever-accumulating snow, but the battle was being lost. She couldn’t even see a foot in front of her. Had she somehow made a wrong turn? Was she still on the road? How far was it to the lake resort?

Who knew? Who cared?

The SUV’s tires spun... and then slipped on the ice, which then angled the car to the right, off the road, and slithering toward the ravine.

Omigosh! Gripping the steering wheel, she took her foot off the brake. Or was she supposed to turn the wheel in the direction of the spin?

Think. Think! What am I supposed to do?

Goodness, she couldn’t see where she was going. And then... wham! A crash and a thud stopped the SUV and caused her head to jerk forward and then snap back against the headrest.

Oof. Impact. She rubbed her tender neck and took a deep breath. Okay, now what? Maybe things weren’t too bad. Maybe all she had to do was keep calm.

Inhaling deeply again, she said a silent prayer and urged the SUV to go forward.

Nothing happened but tires spinning. In reverse yielded the same spinning result. Darn. There was no doubt about it: she was stuck.

Stuck. Literally and figuratively.

She must’ve hit something but from inside the SUV, she just couldn’t tell what it was. So she’d have to open the door to investigate what was blocking her way.

Okay. Reluctantly, she got out of the car. Omigosh! It was absolutely frigid out.

Of course it was.

Shivering, she walked around the car to assess the damage. Her snowboots crunched the virgin snow. The only light available was from her headlights but the downpouring of snowflakes made everything look pixilated. Truthfully, she couldn’t see a darn thing. She might as well go back in the car.

Once she slammed the door shut, she tried to get warm. An impossible task. A brief cry didn’t help matters. She blotted her wet eyes, blew her nose, and then took another deep breath. What she had to do next was undeniable. She had to swallow her pride and call someone for help.

But who should she call?

Cooper, even though he stole from her? She shook her head. She didn’t know anyone else in Bangor. Making friends hadn’t been high on her priority list, but to be fair, she’d only lived here five weeks.

Should she call her brother Bill? No, he was too far away. Uptown Manhattan far away.

Triple A then? 911?

She grabbed her handbag and pulled out her phone. Her hand shook as she pressed the contacts screen. Help me, she silently pleaded. Someone please help me.

With her sight blurred, she pressed a name. Was it Cooper’s? Bill’s?

One, two, three rings and then a deep voice answered. Yeah?

Oh thank goodness. Cooper. Th-This is Marta. So sorry to call you but I’m in a real jam. I’m stuck in the snow. In Windytown, on Old Pine Road heading to the resort cabin near Lake Windy, you remember, my favorite childhood place I told you about? I know it’ll take awhile for you to get out here but c-can you help me?

She heard swearing. While in New York, he never swore. But now that they’d moved to Maine...

The hell! Why the hell are you out on that deserted road on New Year’s Eve, of all times? And how the hell can that be anyone’s favorite place in the middle of a snowstorm?

The connection wasn’t good; crackling static distorted the words. But she was thankful. So thankful to have phone service this far out in the boonies. Sorry, it’s just that I needed to get away--

Hell. Give me a few minutes to get sober and suit up for the arctic north. I’ll be there in a few. Keep your phone available.

Oh thank you so much. I know this is a great imposition, especially with the weather--

Yeah, yeah, forget it. The call was disconnected.

Marta shut off the screen on her phone. Thank goodness he was coming. Closing her eyes, she leaned back in her seat. Thank goodness she’d had the forethought to fill her gas tank before she’d left Bangor.

Wait. He said he would be here in a few. Bangor had about a ninety minute